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Love at first sight is what we all have herd of, I experienced love at first touch. This goes back to around 1998, a ride from school to home on Machismo! My first contact with a Bullet, I still remember the first touch to that beauty, the seat in tan leather, the raw mechanical feel and the thumps running up from the machine into my body. The moment I reached home I blasted my dad with hundered of questions about 'Bullet' and my dad being an avid Bullet admirer answered all of them. I made up my mind that day, whenever I will have my own bike, it is going to be a Bullet, since then every last page of my book in school used to have a sketch of Bullet drawn.
Come March 2012, I am in my Fourth year of Bachelors of Architecture, on a random phone call with dad I ask him if we can buy the Classic 350, to my surprise dad says "go ahead and book".
Same evening I visit the only Royal Enfield showroom in Solapur. To my shock I am told the Classic 350 has a waiting of 8-9 months and I can get the Thunderbird or Electra in 2-3 months. The Thunderbird then, gave me a very non Royal Enfield feel, and the Electra was too bare(design wise) to my liking, with a heavy heart and patience, booked a silver classic 350 paying 5k rupees, knowing it will be a long wait. On the waiting period, my colleagues used to joke that my wait is akin to pregnancy & my baby will be getting delivered in 9 months![[lol]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Laugh.gif "Laugh [lol]")
.
Mid of Oct 2012 I get a call from dealer, almost 7 months to the booking, he says that there is a Black Classic 350 available to be delivered as someone had cancelled the booking just before delivery, and the silver model must still take another 3 months. I just coudn't wait anymore, Went to the stockyard, took a look at the black Classic 350(with a heavy heart as I wanted the silver one)and gave a go ahead made final balance payment of 1 lakh 25 thousand(1lakh 30k was the on road price). Guess what on colour choice, today I am relieved that I chose the Black one, as I see most of the Classics of my rides age look dull and bland in silver.
2nd Nov 2012 I had my very own bullet in my hands. One can understand the emotions from this FB post I put up then, just a day after I got my bike delivered, a fitter me and a youger bullet.
Riding the classic was a completely different experience and I enjoyed it. Ownership was smooth and contrary to the reported niggles by many owners I had a fuss free ownership then. In the May of 2013 I completed my BArch, and set off to my home Mumbai on this beauty, completed a 480 km run from solapur to Mumbai in 8 hours. What an experience that was, my first and only long solo ride till date, although even after 2 hours of completing my ride, my fingers were tingling, how naive and amateur was I to do that riding without a propper Riding gear!
3rd Nov 2013 I was in Bhopal for my Masters of Architecture and had got my Classic transported to Bhopal by then. It was a cool day as usual in bhopal, me and a colleague of mine were returning from Bhopal city to my college campus which was 35km away, I was riding around 70kmph, out of nowhere a dog appears, I coudnt see it as the dog was running very fast, the next moment I see the dog is in my path, I apply brakes, wasnt enough(now here is the notorious inadequate breaking of bullets) I collide, thrown off in the air, I land on ground head first, bullet on me and we drag for almost 15feet, I always wear a helmet and thats how I am alive today.
4 broken ribs on the left front chest side(exactly near the heart), Broken Left Collarbone, Fractured Left Shoulder socket, 2 fractured ribs at the back, A broken left knee Ligament, which costed me, one major operation, 2 months of complete bed rest and 3 months of physiotherapy. Surprisingly my pillion got just a few scratches and she did not requre any medical treatment(God probably blessed her as she was without helmet)! Anyhow the first thing I did after recovering was riding my classic, you see, the classic spirit never dies. While the bikes headlamp assembly, front shockabsorbers, leg guard, indicators, handlebar, rim and tyre had to be replaced all was covered under insurance. Here is the bike after it got back after repairs:
Lessons learnt, be ware of brakeing distance(double than normal) when you are on a bullet, Indian Highways are unsafe due to stray animals so keep your ride in a controllable spectrum of riding.
This is me just a few days after recovering when I took my ride to bhopal for Onam feast at India Coffee House:
2015 August, I landed in Ahmedabad for my job along with my companion, the classic. While until 2016 the bike demanded only regular service, had to change the Chain sprocket and chain set, rear shock absorbers, and battery by 2016, also faced a clutch wire snap while riding so replaced it, these happens to be the only major work(spare changes apart from accident repair and regular service) on my bike till date. By this time I had started getting concerned about my bikes service bills a regular service with oil change was getting around 7-8k rupees, my dads cars had a lesser bill then for service including oil change. Here's the bike after a service and detailing session somewhere in August 2016:
2017 I am back In Mumbai(Navi Mumbai), the bike has covered 21000 km in 5 years, this is where my broken(operated) knee starts hurting again, and hence I purchase my Tigor.
The classic with a lucky numerical 21786 some where in 2018
In the last 3 years the Classic has run just around 1000km my knee and another health condition doesn't allow me to ride the bike for more than 45minute to 1hr max in a day. Yet I still can not think about selling it, so to keep it mechanically fit, wherever a vehicle required, all my local neighborhood runs are done on Classic 350. Regular oiling service is done from a nearby known FnG, Major service is also done at another Bullet specialist FnG, as I have lost trust with R E authorised service guys. I now add synthetic oil as the ride is stationary for most of the time and also the oil change intervals are longish due to less riding.
My ride completed 8 years last months while I have been a bit ignorant towards my companion in last couple of years, yet there is that bond which lasts forever. Gave it a detailing session with 3M wax, a thorough Chain service, rim cleaning, deep cleaning of engine, cylinder & exhaust with 3M all surface clean & shine.
Heres both of us on our 8th anniversary, whats better than spending some good quality time with your loved ones on your 8th anniversary![[:D]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Big%20Smile.gif "Big Smile [:D]")
.:
While there is no denial that this isn't the perfect machine. But if you are the right personality then this is one complete companion for you.
Now lets get a bit technical:
Dislikes:
Likes:
Future planned changes
Life lessons learnt: The Classic 350 taught me to be more responsible while riding, it teaches you to plan your maneuvers beforehand, it teaches you to take time, understand and care for your lifetime possessions and relations, in all this it makes you a more mature responsible human.
This is a pic taken today, every sight of it, I fall in love again and again.
Will keep posting about further ownership/maintenance experiences and also whatever I have spent on maintaining till date.
Ride safe, always wear a helmet / seatbelt.
Come March 2012, I am in my Fourth year of Bachelors of Architecture, on a random phone call with dad I ask him if we can buy the Classic 350, to my surprise dad says "go ahead and book".
Same evening I visit the only Royal Enfield showroom in Solapur. To my shock I am told the Classic 350 has a waiting of 8-9 months and I can get the Thunderbird or Electra in 2-3 months. The Thunderbird then, gave me a very non Royal Enfield feel, and the Electra was too bare(design wise) to my liking, with a heavy heart and patience, booked a silver classic 350 paying 5k rupees, knowing it will be a long wait. On the waiting period, my colleagues used to joke that my wait is akin to pregnancy & my baby will be getting delivered in 9 months
.Mid of Oct 2012 I get a call from dealer, almost 7 months to the booking, he says that there is a Black Classic 350 available to be delivered as someone had cancelled the booking just before delivery, and the silver model must still take another 3 months. I just coudn't wait anymore, Went to the stockyard, took a look at the black Classic 350(with a heavy heart as I wanted the silver one)and gave a go ahead made final balance payment of 1 lakh 25 thousand(1lakh 30k was the on road price). Guess what on colour choice, today I am relieved that I chose the Black one, as I see most of the Classics of my rides age look dull and bland in silver.
2nd Nov 2012 I had my very own bullet in my hands. One can understand the emotions from this FB post I put up then, just a day after I got my bike delivered, a fitter me and a youger bullet.
Riding the classic was a completely different experience and I enjoyed it. Ownership was smooth and contrary to the reported niggles by many owners I had a fuss free ownership then. In the May of 2013 I completed my BArch, and set off to my home Mumbai on this beauty, completed a 480 km run from solapur to Mumbai in 8 hours. What an experience that was, my first and only long solo ride till date, although even after 2 hours of completing my ride, my fingers were tingling, how naive and amateur was I to do that riding without a propper Riding gear!
3rd Nov 2013 I was in Bhopal for my Masters of Architecture and had got my Classic transported to Bhopal by then. It was a cool day as usual in bhopal, me and a colleague of mine were returning from Bhopal city to my college campus which was 35km away, I was riding around 70kmph, out of nowhere a dog appears, I coudnt see it as the dog was running very fast, the next moment I see the dog is in my path, I apply brakes, wasnt enough(now here is the notorious inadequate breaking of bullets) I collide, thrown off in the air, I land on ground head first, bullet on me and we drag for almost 15feet, I always wear a helmet and thats how I am alive today.
4 broken ribs on the left front chest side(exactly near the heart), Broken Left Collarbone, Fractured Left Shoulder socket, 2 fractured ribs at the back, A broken left knee Ligament, which costed me, one major operation, 2 months of complete bed rest and 3 months of physiotherapy. Surprisingly my pillion got just a few scratches and she did not requre any medical treatment(God probably blessed her as she was without helmet)! Anyhow the first thing I did after recovering was riding my classic, you see, the classic spirit never dies. While the bikes headlamp assembly, front shockabsorbers, leg guard, indicators, handlebar, rim and tyre had to be replaced all was covered under insurance. Here is the bike after it got back after repairs:
Lessons learnt, be ware of brakeing distance(double than normal) when you are on a bullet, Indian Highways are unsafe due to stray animals so keep your ride in a controllable spectrum of riding.
This is me just a few days after recovering when I took my ride to bhopal for Onam feast at India Coffee House:
2015 August, I landed in Ahmedabad for my job along with my companion, the classic. While until 2016 the bike demanded only regular service, had to change the Chain sprocket and chain set, rear shock absorbers, and battery by 2016, also faced a clutch wire snap while riding so replaced it, these happens to be the only major work(spare changes apart from accident repair and regular service) on my bike till date. By this time I had started getting concerned about my bikes service bills a regular service with oil change was getting around 7-8k rupees, my dads cars had a lesser bill then for service including oil change. Here's the bike after a service and detailing session somewhere in August 2016:
2017 I am back In Mumbai(Navi Mumbai), the bike has covered 21000 km in 5 years, this is where my broken(operated) knee starts hurting again, and hence I purchase my Tigor.
The classic with a lucky numerical 21786 some where in 2018
In the last 3 years the Classic has run just around 1000km my knee and another health condition doesn't allow me to ride the bike for more than 45minute to 1hr max in a day. Yet I still can not think about selling it, so to keep it mechanically fit, wherever a vehicle required, all my local neighborhood runs are done on Classic 350. Regular oiling service is done from a nearby known FnG, Major service is also done at another Bullet specialist FnG, as I have lost trust with R E authorised service guys. I now add synthetic oil as the ride is stationary for most of the time and also the oil change intervals are longish due to less riding.
My ride completed 8 years last months while I have been a bit ignorant towards my companion in last couple of years, yet there is that bond which lasts forever. Gave it a detailing session with 3M wax, a thorough Chain service, rim cleaning, deep cleaning of engine, cylinder & exhaust with 3M all surface clean & shine.
Heres both of us on our 8th anniversary, whats better than spending some good quality time with your loved ones on your 8th anniversary
.:While there is no denial that this isn't the perfect machine. But if you are the right personality then this is one complete companion for you.
Now lets get a bit technical:
Dislikes:
- Brakes! Had there been better brakes, just maybe I would have been a fitter person today.
- Vibrations, ohh the world sings songs about it so let me be silent here, ha ha!
- Saddle Seat, hit a pothole in a high speed, thats enough to give you a slip disk in lower backbone.
- Rear brake peddal, it scrapes and scrapes!
Likes:
- Ride quality, it is a stable rock solid elephant(not the dominar advertisement one) on highway, especially when you have high velocity heavy vehicles zooming pass you, this beast doesnt move a milimeter.
- Engine, now many might be surprised here, but today till date I have not faced any issue with the engine, its the 8th year and even the infamous tappet noise is never encountered.
- Low maintenance, you need to skip the Authorised Service and go to a trusted FnG to understand this.
- Ages beautifully if you pay that little attention to it now and then.
- Added a rear leg guard, this literally saved my wifes legs a couple of times from the impact of rickshaws.
- Seat covers changed to dark brown, this adds more character.
- Headlamp bezel and cowl colored black, this appeals much more than the chrome bling.
Future planned changes
- Changing that seat to Standard type or thunderbird type.
- Re painting the bike, last year there was painting of my apartment going on and there are thousands of white spots on my bike now!
- Tyre change, the ride is still on stock MRF's, I know this is too much now.
- The chain is making some chak chak chak cahk noise since last 3-4 months, while the rear wheel sprocket looks good, will take it to mechanic and get it checked.
Life lessons learnt: The Classic 350 taught me to be more responsible while riding, it teaches you to plan your maneuvers beforehand, it teaches you to take time, understand and care for your lifetime possessions and relations, in all this it makes you a more mature responsible human.
This is a pic taken today, every sight of it, I fall in love again and again.
Will keep posting about further ownership/maintenance experiences and also whatever I have spent on maintaining till date.
Ride safe, always wear a helmet / seatbelt.
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![[cheers]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Cheers.gif "Cheers [cheers]")
